1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to land vehicles, and more particularly to lightweight, collapsible shelter sleds intended for use in ice fishing.
2. Description of the Related Art
For all humans, there are several essential needs that must be met. Among these is the need for food. This basic need has throughout the ages dictated many activities, and has also led to many advances and discoveries.
In northern latitudes, during the long winter months there is no opportunity to grow or harvest plants or grains of any type. Where sufficiently large and deep bodies of water are present to maintain fresh water below ice, fish survive the winter months. Many bodies of water in these northern latitudes hold bounties of fish that provide sustenance and other benefits to mankind. Unfortunately, these bodies of water are also covered by ice for a substantial part of the winter, severely limiting access.
Nevertheless, these fish, if retrieved, make an excellent source of food and nutrients. They are often both tastier and nutritionally superior to the alternative foods available locally in these winter months. As a result, fish have long been used as a winter food source. The only challenge then is retrieving them in a desirable and appropriate way, especially in the severe conditions of winter. In view of the historical importance of fish to winter survival, much effort has been made over the years to improve upon both the comfort and success of ice fishing.
For many people today food may be plentiful, but there is still much satisfaction to be gained in the sport of fishing. In some cases this may simply be a return to one's roots, or a refreshing visit to what times of old involved. In other cases, the combination of time in the relatively unspoiled outdoors and the opportunity to meet one's basic needs combine to provide great satisfaction. In yet other cases, the time away from hectic life in the city and opportunity to socialize in a more private environment provides an excellent change of pace. Regardless of the specific reasons, millions of individuals at least on occasion continue to participate in the sport of fishing. Consequently, the sport of ice fishing has evolved from what may have been an essential tool for survival in the northern latitudes many years ago.
Ice fishing is widely practiced throughout the world, by persons of all ages and backgrounds. The ice fisherman will first make a hole in ice formed on a body of water, and then will pass a line terminated by an artificially or live-baited hook through the hole. When a fisherman embarks upon a fishing trip, whether for an afternoon or a multiple day trip, one part of the preparation is the securing of supplies. Frequently, a fisherman will carry many diverse components, including tools, various live and artificial baits, hooks, leaders, weights, bobbers, stringers, and the like.
Ice fishing involves waiting for potentially extended time periods upon the frozen surface of a body of water for fish to bite. During such a wait, it is decidedly more comfortable to be protected from extreme cold and possible wind gusts which are necessarily associated with the presence of the ice. When temperatures fall below zero on the Fahrenheit scale, and when the winds begin to blow, frostbite occurs in only a few minutes on exposed skin. A shelter, commonly referred to as an ice house, provides the added protection and comfort desirable in such conditions. Understandably, in the colder climates, such shelters have gained wide acceptance, since they not only provide protection against immediate exposure to the elements, but also because they can provide further amenities such as sleeping quarters and longer term stays in the event of an unexpected blizzard or storm, cooking space, and shelter for gear, electronic devices, and many other amenities.
Unfortunately, such shelters tend to be heavy, awkward, and not readily transported. Consequently, ice houses can be especially difficult to set up in remote locations. Even for more accessible locations, typical ice houses pose difficulties in transportation and tend to be left out all winter. Other complications can arise when the ice house is left out all winter. For example, snow and ice can build up inside of the ice houses from being walked in, making the floor slippery. Another complication arises if the top layer of ice melts on a particularly warm day because the ice house can become frozen to the lake when it refreezes, making removal difficult or impossible until the lake starts melting again. Also, if the weather warms up significantly before one has a chance to retrieve the ice house, the ice house will be irretrievable and end up at the bottom of the lake. Furthermore, in order to even get a traditional ice house on the lake can require a larger vehicle, such as a truck, to drive out onto the ice, which can be dangerous. In some locales, there are restrictions upon when a semi-permanent shelter must be removed. The removal date is commonly set early enough to allow the large vehicles access, and ensure that the ice houses do not become submerged. Consequently, a portable ice house can be used later in the season than a semi-permanent shelter.
Portability also offers another important benefit in the art of ice fishing. As is well-known, fish are not predictable, and may move from day to day to different locations about the lake. A fixed shelter cannot be moved to better fishing locations, while a portable shelter could.
Solutions to these problems can be found in the prior art. Some artisans have designed fish houses with floors that define a sled. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,730 by Dickerson, entitled “Ice-fishing shelter”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,454 by Skogen, entitled “Collapsible ice fishing shelter”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,492,015 by Kuhn et al, entitled “Combined sled and collapsible shelter”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,293 by Du Bray, entitled “Portable and collapsible fish house”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,247 by Hinz, entitled “Portable angling house”. These fish houses are generally portable, but require that the bottom of the shelter be extremely durable, since the bottom of the shelter may collide with obstacles such as tree branches, chunks of ice or the like while the fish house is being dragged about. Further, over time the fish house floor will be worn down through abrasion, whether directly on ice or on the occasional roadway that might be traversed. To toughen the fish house, extra material is required across the entire floor, making these fish houses substantially heavier than an ordinary person can easily handle, or alternatively too fragile for regular use, or in a further alternative, too expensive due to the need for exotic materials such as expensive graphite or Kevlar™ composites. When the floor is damaged or wears out due to impacts or abrasion, repair and replacement of the entire fish house floor is both undesirably expensive, in part due to the large quantity of material required, and difficult for the typical fisherman. In addition, the larger area in contact with the ground creates undesirable and substantial drag when traversing fresh or uneven snow. This large frontal area will also readily snag on sudden level transitions. In other words, when there is a relatively small ridge or elevational change, the large leading edge of these sleds will collide with the ridge and potentially damage either the ice house or the towing vehicle, rather than climbing or cutting through the ridge.
Some artisans have designed rigid wall shelters that are transported on skis. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,347 by Lipinski, entitled “Solar heated shelter with moveable secondary roof”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,272 by Kroeger, entitled “Hunting blind and ice fishing shed”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,631,877 by Molodecki, entitled “Collapsible hut”. Like the floors that define a sled, these fish houses are substantially heavier than suitable for easy carrying by a single person.
Other artisans have designed shelters that are provided with skis. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 2,464,884 by Noyes, entitled “Sled shelter”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,397 by Turner, entitled “Combination sled and portable shelter”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,780,471 by Lempke, entitled “Portable knockdown shelter for ice fishing”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,735 by Smith, entitled “Snowmobile Camper”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,270 by Hentges, entitled “Collapsible Ice Fishing House”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,198 by Elsinger, entitled “Portable collapsible shelter”. Additional artisans have designed ice fish houses with skis and tow hooks. Exemplary patents, the contents and teachings which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,456 by Mough, entitled “Ski system for ice fishing shanties”; U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,395 by Lipinski, entitled “Collapsible self-storing shelter”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,473,076 by Scheibner, entitled “Collapsible structure for ice fishing”. While these ski shelters overcome the weight issues of the prior art described herein above, and are generally much easier and safer to tow, these shelters elevate the floor of the fish house by the clearance between the fish house floor and the ski bottoms. In other words, when more clearance is provided to traverse heavier snow coverings, this same clearance is a hinderance for the fisherman later since this creates an undesirable gap between fish house floor and the ice surface. Consequently, the more transportable the shelter, the less desirable to use for ice fishing.
One artisan has attempted to overcome the limitations of these prior inventions by designing a collapsible runner for supporting cargo including collapsible shelters. U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,591 by Shappell, entitled “Extendable nesting ski support”, the teachings and contents which are incorporated herein by reference, shows a collapsible ski. Unfortunately, the ski must flex substantially between the lowered and elevated positions, which leads to substantial material fatigue and ultimate failure. Further, since the ski must be capable of substantial flexure, the ski must necessarily be relatively soft and flexible, making it less effective at traversing irregular surfaces or passing effectively over larger obstacles.
Additional patents, the teachings and contents which are incorporated herein by reference, include: U.S. Pat. No. 7,226,058 by Bouchard, entitled “Sled for transporting a power auger vertically across ice”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,890 by Willems, entitled “Transportable fish house”; U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,379 by Graham et al, entitled “Lifting and towing device and method of using same”; 2008/0284134 by Temple, entitled “Tow hitch hook and method of use”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,136 by Kruczynski, entitled “Erectable-collapsible enclosure structure”; U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,562 by Kruczynski, entitled “Collapsible ice shanty sled”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,781,766 by Krieger, entitled “Collapsible and portable outdoor shelter”.
In addition to the foregoing patents, Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition copyright 1983, is incorporated herein by reference in entirety for the definitions of words and terms used herein.